(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to horizontally supported planar surfaces in an industrial platform or pallet with structure to prevent an article thereon from shifting about or falling therefrom, the structure having a load-receiving surface recessed to bear a typically cylindrical article and restrain the article against relative movement. The invention is particularly related to such a pallet having elements for folding the pallet, without element destruction or stress beyond elastic limits, from and into a compact configuration for shipping the empty pallet. The invention is further related to such a pallet having separate sections assembled together to contain the article and having fastening elements, which are an integral part of the pallet, for holding the unfolded pallet in its set-up position.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Pallets commonly require that articles placed thereon be manually maneuvered into position, as into recesses conforming to articles to which the pallets are specifically adapted. This is dangerous and fatiguing with relatively heavy articles, the danger being greater with hazardous materials. Typically, the articles are then restrained to the pallet for shipping by structure, such as strapping, which is not a part of the pallet and is discarded after shipping. Steel or synthetic strapping is commonly used for this purpose although its installation and removal requires not only the strapping itself but steel seals, tensioners, a double notcher or crimper, and shears to cut the strapping. It is evident that the strapping and removal operations are time consuming, waste generating, and are a hazardous operation from the standpoint of cuts and eye injuries.
These deficiencies are particularly inconvenient with bombs which are typically shipped two to a pallet. A further deficiency with prior art bomb pallets involves handling lugs which protrude radially from the generally cylindrical bomb exterior and are for lifting the bomb. In prior art pallets using strapping, these lugs are received in recesses in the pallet so that the bomb, which is lowered onto and removed from the pallet with the lugs in an upward or 12 O""clock position, must be barred to rotate the lugs downward to and, on unloading, from the typical 5 or 7 O""clock position of the recesses. Such rotation is time consuming, physically demanding and potentially hazardous.
A prior art bomb pallet consists of a bottom frame and a top frame between which the bombs are received. To accommodate the bombs, the bottom frame incorporates saddles and the before-mentioned bomb lug pockets. The bottom frame also has fork pockets for handling by conventional handling equipment. The top frame allows the stacking of loaded bomb pallets and also incorporates saddles conforming to the loaded bombs. After positioning the bombs and then the upper frame on the bottom frame, the frames with the bombs therebetween are tied together with steel strapping.
The following four United States patents show other related art, none of these patents disclosing elements for retaining an article to a pallet or within a container:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,746 issued Dec. 23, 1986 shows a collapsible shipping container with pivoting members connecting opposite side walls;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,629 issued Oct. 4, 1994 shows a pallet with rigid decks connected by a bolt, corresponding to a bottom frame;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,003 issued Jun. 23, 1998 shows a pallet which corresponds to such a bottom frame and receives a plurality of parallel cylindrical objects disposed axially perpendicular to the pallet; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,931 issued Jan. 26, 1999 shows walls pivoted at a base by non-load bearing hinges for collapsing the walls into a compact configuration. In an upright configuration, the walls are connected by pins and to a lid to form a complete enclosure.
The invention is concerned with a pallet having a bottom frame and a top frame which are separable and which receive an article or articles between them, the frames being urged together to retain the frames and articles in a shipping configuration. These frames conform to the articles which may be of any configuration but are typically cylindrical articles such as two aircraft bombs. The frames may be provided with conventional fork pockets, lifting eyes and stacking pins.
More specifically, the frames have recesses or saddles spaced axially along and conforming to each article. The articles, such as conventional bombs, may have radially protruding lifting lugs; and the upper frame has a member extending across the bombs at the position of the lugs. This member has slots disposed to receive the lifting lugs so that the upper frame engages the lugs and retains the bombs in a position with the lugs upward when the frames are connected with the bombs therebetween.
The frames are so connected by a plurality of A-frames disposed at each side of the lower frame and transversely oppositely of the bombs. The wider portion of each A-frame is mounted on the bottom frame for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of the bombs. The narrower portion of the A-frame has a captive cap screw disposed so as to extend vertically when the A-frame is pivoted into a position which is upright in relation to the bottom frame and is beside the one of the bombs adjacent to the A-frame. The top frame has pockets disposed to receive the cap screws when the top frame is disposed on the bombs and the A-frame is in the upright position, so that tightening the screws urges the upper and lower frames together against the bombs.
To use the pallet, the A-frames are first pivoted outwardly of the lower frame for convenient lowering of the bombs onto the lower saddles, as by apparatus engaging the lifting lugs with the lugs in an upward or 12 O""clock position. The top frame is then placed on the bombs with the lugs remaining in this position and the lugs inserted into the before-mentioned slots. The A-frames are then pivoted into their upright positions with the cap screws in the top frame pockets, and the cap screws tightened to retain the bombs, or other articles to which the pallet may be adapted, and the frames in a loaded configuration without the use of strapping. In this configuration, the A-frames retain the top frame in its position axially of the bombs and in relation to the bottom frame.
The bottom frame of the pallet has lengthwise members which typically extend along the axes of cylindrical articles to which the pallet is adapted. The lengthwise members are connected by crosswise members spaced along the lengthwise members so as to define empty regions between the lengthwise members and between opposite A-frames. The A-frames are pivotally mounted on the lengthwise members so that each A-frame may be pivoted into the corresponding empty region, and the top frame then placed directly on the lower frame. The frames are thus disposed in a compact configuration for shipping the empty pallet. The frames are provided with pins and openings therefor to maintain the relative lengthwise and crosswise positions of the frames when the pallet is in this empty configuration.
The bottom and top frames are configured so that several of the pallets may be stacked in engaging relation in either the loaded or the empty configuration.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pallet wherein articles to be shipped are retained and the pallet assembled without the use of strapping.
Another object is to provide such a pallet wherein articles having lifting lugs are so retained with the lugs in a conveniently accessible position.
Still another object is to provide such a pallet which folds into a compact arrangement when empty.
Yet another object is to provide such a pallet wherein the above objects are provided by conveniently connected pivoting elements.
An additional object is to provide such a pallet which is adapted for a plurality of articles, but may be used for a single article.
A further object is to provide such a pallet which has the foregoing advantages, which may be maneuvered by conventional handling equipment, which is economical to construct, and which is fully effective.